Gonsalves rebuts statements that vaccinations are required to enter shelters
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has strongly refuted claims that persons are compelled to take the COVID-19 vaccine Astra-Zeneca to enter evacuation shelters.
Gonsalves emphasized that everyone who sought refuge at the shelters must be tested for COVID-19.
The prime minister's response to the rumours came as he led a contingent of local and international journalists through the red zone of the island that La Soufriere volcanic eruptions have ravaged.
Gonsalves said, "We are encouraging everybody who comes into the shelters to get tested because you have asymptomatic people, and if you tested positive, we have to quarantine and isolate you, so it is highly recommended.”
"You are not turned away if you don’t get tested. There is absolutely no requirement at any time to go into any shelter to be vaccinated," he added.
"More than one of those countries had said, 'Well, you would need to be vaccinated if you come'. You would have to do the rapid antigen or the PCR test, but you have to be quarantined for 14 days when you come into the country. Still, we are encouraging everybody to get tested, and we are encouraging everybody to get vaccinated,” the prime minister said.
Gonsalves explained that countries across the region initially stipulated that Vincentians looking to evacuate to their islands must be vaccinated to enter before amending that position.
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